


I'll Never Leave Your Side

by Writingfangirlforhire



Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, broship, eventual climbing class
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-28
Updated: 2015-11-28
Packaged: 2018-05-03 20:26:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5305670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writingfangirlforhire/pseuds/Writingfangirlforhire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chris promised Josh he'd never leave his side. He hated himself when he had betrayed Josh, so he told him that he would never leave his side again. But Chris didn't expect what would happen next. He didn't expect so much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Never Leave Your Side

Chris sat perfectly still, more still than Sam had ever seen the hyperactive young man. He wasn’t scared, he wasn’t excited, and he wasn’t pissed or sad. Christopher was completely and utterly indifferent. It scared Sam to see it. Chris wasn’t exactly a stoic person, he was emotionally stable and a good at poker, but he always was showing some sort of emotion.

            Not now though.

            Now, his eyes were closed and he sat completely still as Josh explained his prank to them, no emotion was betrayed in his facial features. Josh was clearly off his rocker tonight, perhaps he had been for a long time, but Chris- who Sam expected to be the most pissed- just listened with no comment.

            Finally Chris opened his eyes and shook his head at Josh. Sam kept looking from the stoic Chris to the constantly in-motion Josh, afraid at what Chris might do. She imagined that he was probably just so pissed that he was beyond caring about anything. But at this point, she was sure that she wouldn’t care if Chris punched him or anything.

            Chris didn’t do anything she expected him to do. He stood up and he grabbed Josh, that wasn’t unexpected. But then he pulled Josh into a hug and started crying. Full, body-racking sobs. It made Josh freeze, confusion written all over his tan face. Josh slowly hugged him, not understanding why his best friend for forever was breaking down on his shoulder.

            But it calmed Josh, you could see the clarity coming back into his brown eyes as the need to take care of his friend overtook his momentary insanity.

            Chris was sobbing so hard that his legs shook. Ashley looked so confused and a little terrified. Sam was also confused but felt her heart seize at seeing Chris break. All of Mike’s fury had drained at the blonde’s sobbing.

            Chris felt to his knees, his arms encircling Josh’s abdomen, where he buried his face. Fear filled Josh’s eyes as he looked from one friend to the next and down to Chris’s slowly stilling form. Then recognition overtook fear and horror overtook his expression.

            “Chris,” Josh said with self-loathing, “Chris, no.” Josh unwrapped Chris’s arms from his stomach and dropped down to his knees to face the person most important to him.

            “I thought that I had killed you,” Chris cried, “I had cut you in half! I hated myself so much!” Josh’s face was filled with pain and sorrow, he put his hand on Chris’s shoulders, clarity in his eyes.

            “But you didn’t, I’m not dead,” Josh tried, Chris just pulled him into a hug, still crying.

            “I knew, I knew when it came down to the line that I would choose to save you,” he said, voice breaking, “I just couldn’t make myself choose Ashley. But then when I thought I’d chosen to save you, it was broken it went for you,” Chris buried his face into Josh’s neck. “I hated myself,” he whimpered.

            “I-I’m so sorry Chris,” Josh said slowly, hugging his friend tightly and all too aware of how Chris’s warm, wet face on his neck. “I didn’t think that it would- I thought….. I don’t know man, I’m so sorry.” Josh hugged Chris as tight as he could and laid his face in Chris’s shoulder.

            There was a quiet moment where Chris and Josh just hugged as Chris’s crying slowed and then, finally stopped. Mike was still angry about Jess, Sam was shocked by Chris’s sudden release of emotion and what Josh had put them through, and Ashley felt very betrayed. Finally, Chris pulled out of the embrace and then punched Josh’s arm.

            “You’re a jerk bro,” he said, trying to man up, he stood up.

            “Yeah,” Sam agreed.

            “And apparently a murderer,” Mike mumbled. Josh turned to him in surprise, standing.

            “What?” he asked, now able to think things through. Mike glared up at him sharply and Chris looked just as confused as Josh, turning to stand by him.

            “I said that you were a murderer Joshua,” Mike said sharply, anger returning more and more, “You killed Jess!” Josh froze for a second, staring at Mike before shaking his head slowly and closing his eyes tightly, trying to think.

            “No?” he said slowly, his face scrunched up almost painfully as he tried to remember, “I didn’t hurt Jess.”

            _“How’s your memory been Joshua?” The psychiatrist asked him, folding his hands. Josh looked up at him in surprise._

_“What do you mean?”_

_“Well,” the man answered slowly, “Often, people in situations like yourself find themselves becoming forgetful the longer time goes on since the traumatic event. It’s a result of something called Delayed Stress Disorder, which can cause the victim to imagine the existence of something in time which didn’t actually happen, or to forget things in reality.”_

_“My memory,” Josh grumbled, “unfortunately, has been perfect. I remember things way_ too _clearly.”_

_“Good, good. It will help you. Always be honest with yourself, and your memories Joshua.”_

            “Really?! Because I saw what happened to her! She was dragged out a window Josh! I found her in the mines! Bloody and cut up!” Mike yelled. Josh started to panic, surely he would remember….. Wait…

            “The mines?” Josh questioned, looking up at Mike with confusion, “What were you doing in the mines? You were at the cabin when I left you guys, both you and Jess were. Nobody should be in the mines, they’re dangerous.”

            “Yeah, Josh, you would know wouldn’t you?” Mike said sarcastically. Chris was looking at Josh in confusion. Josh ran his gloved hands though his hair in agitation and Chris put his hand on Josh’s shoulder.

            “Josh,” he said softly, leaving his hand on Josh’s arm, “why are the mines dangerous?”

            “Because,” Josh said desperately, palming his eyes, “The entire mines are breaking apart. I went to look through them last week when I was setting everything up for this. I even found evidence that there was some guy living down there. That’s why I didn’t set any pranks down there, there was no assurance that the whole thing wouldn’t crash down and kill you all!” He opened his eyes and looked at Mike apologetically, “I’m sorry about Jess man, I didn’t want any actual injuries. I just wanted…. I just wanted to heal.” Josh looked down at the ground, tears starting in his eyes.

_He’d hurt people. He had actually damaged people. Emotionally….. Physically. Where were Emily and Matt? Ashley is probably emotionally traumatized. Mike thinks he’s a murderer. Sam clearly looks like this isn’t something she’s going to get over. Jessica is possibly dead. And Chris….._

Josh looked over at Chris who was sharing a contemplative look with Sam. _He’d hurt Chris in a way that he would never forgive himself for. He’d made Chris hate himself. Chris hadn’t even done anything wrong that night._

“What have I done?” he mumbled, looking at those around him, “Where are Matt and Emily?”

            “They went to find the communication tower,” Ashley said, she was still sitting, “to radio for help. Chris and I had talked to them after….. After…” She trailed off, looking down. Sam put her hand on Ashley’s shoulder.

            “The cable car station is trashed,” Josh thought out loud, “I wonder how they got up there.”

            “I hear a big crash earlier,” Mike said, still angry, “I assumed it was the lunatic who’d planned this whole thing.” Josh frowned at him.

            “Mike, I don’t know what happened to Jessica,” He said honestly, “I honestly thought that no one would bother the mines. If she was down there then it wasn’t me.” Mike looked like he was trying to not believe him, “But, assuming it wasn’t me- which is what I’m doing- that means that we could all be in actual danger from more than just emotional trauma. We need to find Matt and Emily.”

            “Did you make sure that Jess was actually dead?” Chris asked thoughtfully, gripping Josh’s shoulder tighter. Mike faced him furiously, opening his mouth to answer before stopping.

            “I was kind of in a hurry, there was something after me.”

            “And Josh was after us three during that time,” Sam said, looking at Josh hopefully, “So it couldn’t have been him.”

            “I did see someone out there,” Mike mused, “He’s gonna pay.”

            “We need to get upstairs,” Chris said, running his hand down Josh’s arm and grabbing his hand, “to see if we can find Matt and Emily, and maybe even Jess.” Josh frowned at him, trouble clouding his perfect brown eyes.

            “You can’t go out after them. If what Mike says is right, then there’s someone else out there who could hurt you. I’ll go,” he started walking but Chris yanked him to a stop and towards facing him. Everyone could see Chris’s frustration plainly.

            “You’re not going anywhere without me bro,” he said sternly, “I fucking cut you in half. I’m not losing you twice.” Josh was desperately trying to argue, but Chris pulled him till their noses were almost touching, “Absolutely not. I don’t care if I have to tie you up, you’re going nowhere without me.”

            “And neither of you are going out to find the others without me,” Mike said, cocking his gun for emphasis. The girls looked like they wanted to say something but Chris shushed everyone, turning back to Josh.

            “Listen bro, I won’t lie. What you’ve done is some pretty messed up shit. But I thought I’d lost you and remembering that feeling is enough to make me know that I won’t leave your side ever,” Chris said seriously, looking Josh in the eye. Josh wanted to look away from the blonde’s mesmerizing blue eyes, but he couldn’t, “Do you understand me?” Chris tightened his hold on Josh’s hand a bit more.

            “I do,” Josh said softly. Chris pulled him into a hug before quickly turning and heading to leave to go back up into the house.

            They made it up into the main living room when something banged on the door and Mike’s gun was immediately on the glass panel. Chris pulled Josh behind him, making Josh feel a bit embarrassed that he was the one getting protected. The girls held onto each other.

            The banging, akin to knocking, continued. Chris turned to look at Mike. “I’ll open the door and you cover me?” He mumble asked. Mike grunted in agreement and Chris released Josh, walking slowly towards the door. Mike motioned for everybody to stay put as he came to stand by Chris at the door. He nodded to Chris and Chris opened the door with a jerk.

            Standing there was bundle of a man with what looked like a gun. Chris stumbled away from the door in shock and Mike backed away, gun extended. “Now listen,” a gruff voice said, pushing into the door, “I’m only going to say this once okay? I’ve got a thing to say and then I’m going to leave and ya’ll are gonna have a choice.”

            Chris immediately moved in front of Josh, fists clenched in defense. The man looked Chris over and then looked at Mike and the gun.

            “Put that ‘way boy, I’m not gonna attack. I just came to get something off my chest and then I’m gone.”

            “Fine,” Chris said sharply, seeing the fury building in Mike’s eyes, “Put down your weapon and we’ll put down ours.” The man looked at him, seeing him protect people and being willing to come to an agreement made the man see he was reasonable.

            “Fine,” the man said gruffly, moving in front of the couches and coffee table and setting his weapon, it looked like a flame thrower, at his feet. Chris turned to Mike, who looked about ready to blow the man’s head off.

            “Mike, either put the gun down, or give it to me,” Chris ordered. Josh felt a sense of protection from this authoritarian side of Chris. Mike turned to Chris with rage but apparently saw something which made him obey and set it down on top of the couch in front of him.

            The man sighed and turned to Chris. “You need to take your friends and leave. It’s dangerous on this mountain.”

            “Really?” Chris said, trying to prod the man to give more information.

            “Yes. There’s something dangerous on this mountain, I’ve already tried to contain it and help your other friends, but sometimes I can’t do it all,” he said, shifting his weight. Chris crossed his arms while Mike jumped at it.

            “Our other friends? You tried to help them? Like you tried to help Jess and now she’s dead?!” He raged. The man turned to Mike sharply.

            “Boy, I don’t have the time to answer all your useless questions, just let me say my piece,” he snapped, “I don’t know which girl yer talking about, but both of them were a lot more fortunate than that poor young man.”

            “Matt,” Josh whispered. Chris pressed his hand against Josh’s thigh to quiet him.

            “What else did you have to say?” he pressed.

            “Right. Well, I came to tell you that I’ve been protecting my mountain for about-.”

            “This isn’t your mountain!” Josh interrupted, “It’s my parents’ mountain!”

            “I’ve been protecting it for all these years boy! I’ve taken care of it as best I can, better than those parents of yours,” the man snapped, Josh grit his jaw but Chris grabbed his hand and squeezed it to shush him.

            “As you were saying?” He said, trying not to let either the curiosity or the impatience lace his voice.

            “Look, you all just need to leave the mountain, for your own good,” the man said. Mike crossed his arms.

            “For our good or yours? How do we know that you haven’t hurt or even killed our friends?”

            “I’m trying to save them, and every moment I waste with you school children is the less time they have to survive,” The man growled.

            “Survive what?” Chris frowned, “If you want me to move my crew out, I need to know what we’re running from. You’re trying to protect the mountain and our other friends. I’m trying to protect these ones. Let me in on the know.” The man turned to Chris and looked him up and down, Chris stood tall looking the man in his un-injured eye.

            “You,” he said pointing at Chris, “Are the only one I’m going to tell all this too. And you can’t stay here.” Chris frowned.

            “What?”

            “If I tell you all that I know, then you have to stay and help me. That’s my condition. You’ll be able to protect your friends and get them out alive, but you can’t leave with them,” the man crossed his arms. Chris was his best choice for a successor. Chris bit his lip in concentration.

            Josh grabbed Chris’s arm, “No,” Josh said, “You can’t agree to that without knowing what’s going on first. It could be a trick.” Chris looked from Josh to the man back to Josh.

            “I’m not taking the risk of losing you,” he mumbled, looking Josh in the eye. Josh’s eyes pleaded with him as he grabbed the front of Chris’s sweater with both hands.

            “You said you wouldn’t leave my side!” He said desperately.

            “I know!” Chris replied, “But that was when I thought that the danger on this mountain was nothing more than a man and yourself.” Chris said, putting his hands on Josh’s shoulders. The man looked from Chris to Josh and back to Chris.

            “Look kid, I’m walking out that door,” he said gruffly, “either you’re coming with me and protecting your friends, your boyfriend, and the world. Or you stay here and probably all die. Or you leave now, not knowing if your other friends are alive, maybe not even making it to the bottom of the mountain, and not ever knowing what you were running from.” With that he left walking straight out the door, not giving Chris a chance to argue. Chris did hesitate though, looking around at the silent group. Josh still gripped his sweater tight.

            “I’m going.” He said decidedly, he started to move, but Josh held him in place.

            “No!” He argued, “You can’t go! I won’t let you.” Chris was going to argue but he knew the man was walking away and he needed to catch up. So he did the most show stopping, shocking thing he could think of at that moment. He pulled Josh forward by his shoulders and kissed him as hard as he could.

            He didn’t know what he expected, but he didn’t expect to make Josh grab him harder and pull him deeper into the kiss. He didn’t expect to completely forget everything for a moment as could taste Josh and could feel the fireworks explode in his stomach. He didn’t know what to expect. But he didn’t expect kissing Josh to make him want to leave even less.

            All at once he pulled away and rushed past everyone. He grabbed Mike’s gun and hurried to the door, he looked at everyone for a half a second and then looked at Josh, who was hugging himself and looking at Chris desperately. “Please don’t go,” Josh practically whimpered.

            “I’m sorry.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading, comment and kudos appreciated!


End file.
